Interview with Michele Miller Houck of the NC Women's Political Caucus, published today
Submitted by mbrock49 on Sun, 10/24/2010 - 9:49pm
From a telephone Interview with Michele Miller Houck, President of the North Carolina Women’s Political Caucus:
With Election Day coming in just over a week, Michele Miller Houck of Charlotte and I talked on Sunday. Houck has been working to rebuild the North Carolina Women’s Political Caucus (NCWPC ) as a state-wide bi-partisan group that supports pro-choice women for political office.
The Caucus has been focused on only a few Legislative races this year, but it also endorsed Secretary of State Elaine Marshall for the U. S. Senate. Marshall is challenging the Republican incumbent Senator Richard Burr of Winston-Salem. Marshall is also endorsed by the National Women’s Political Caucus.
“The mission of the NC Women’s Political Caucus is to identify, train and elect women to public office," Houck said. "We believe that our candidates embody the ideals of the National Women’s Political Caucus and will bring their experience and passion to the issues facing our state today.
We encourage men and women in North Carolina to support these candidates with their time and money, so that we can together build a better North Carolina.”
Houck said she is knowledgeable about local races and some national races, but she does not know many of the other women candidates in North Carolina, even for those running for the NC General Assembly.
She does know well candidate Dr. Ann Newman, RN, as she is running in N. C. House District #103 that includes Charlotte. Newman is a nurse and has a PhD. Houck says “the GOP has thrown lots of money to her opponent (a man), as they are running for an open seat.”
The NCWPC is also supporting Dr. Beth Jones in her race for a NC Senate seat. She lives in Burke County in the foothills of the mountains, a Republican stronghold. Houck says Jones is doing well in the district, because she is a moderate, reasonable candidate. Jones is a veterinarian, and she and her husband run a vet hospital together. Houck says as a businesswoman, Jones knows her community and its voters well.
In Wake County, The Caucus is supporting Debra McHenry of Garner, who is challenging the incumbent, Paul Stam of Apex. Stam is running for re-election to his seat in the NC House of Representatives. Houck sent an email last week to FaceBook Friends of the NC Women’s Political Caucus asking them to support McHenry, Newman, Jones and Beth Ostgaard (also of Burke County).
Bi-partisan, pro-choice
Not a healthy combination.
My wife is a pro-choice activist and we have had this debate often. Supporting any Republican, even a pro-choice Republican, is a dumb move in every way. If R's get a majority, their few pro-choice voices will be washed away in a sea of misogyny.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Women as a minority group--in politics
"...overall, women are still so few in politics that everyone is tarnished a bit by the antics of a few. For pundits, these women are a goldmine. They are candy for columnists and comedians. It's all fun and games until some fruitcake female actually gets elected. And that fruitcake might be Angle. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid hasn't been doing his campaign any favors lately with lackluster debates."
We women will know we have arrived when enough of us are serving in Congress and as state governors that we, too, can appreciate the few daisy-pickers in the outfield just for fun. We're not there yet.
Mary Sanchez is an opinion-page columnist for The Kansas City Star.
Read more: Miami Herald opinion
Martha Brock
Did you read the full story? Houck addressed this indirectly...
The full article is online at Examiner.com/Raleigh/politics
As I noted in the article, Sue Myrick was a member of the Charlotte Caucus, when she was first elected to the Charlotte City Council. And believe it or not, I believe you will find Virginia Foxx was a member, when she ran for the NC House.
But that was then, and this is now. As Michele Houck noted: Myrick would be "unelectable" as a Republican, if she were to embrace the Caucus' goals and issues today.
Martha Brock